History of Animal Plagues. 477 



those which manifested themselves in the epizootics of 1711 and 

 1745, and especially with the non-eruptive variety of the last, 

 observed in Holland, Vivarais, and Bourgogne, we cannot doubt 

 but it is the same malady which has been renewed many times 

 since then, and of which the symptoms, essential or pathogno- 

 monic, either from the circumstance of climate, pasturage, or 

 season, have been somewhat changed, but yet not marked enough 

 to constitute a new kind of disease. In fact, if we consider its 

 duration of seven, eight, or nine days, the continuity and nature 

 of the fever, the depression of the vital powers, the diarrhoea or 

 the dysentery which constantly appears towards the termination 

 of the disease, the emphysematous tumours, the signs of putridity 

 or gangrene, the variations in the fever, the results of the au- 

 topsies, the character of the prognosis, and the difficulty of treat- 

 ing it successfully ; — all proves that it is the same malady which 

 is always appearing either from the same sources as the preced- 

 ing invasion, or is renewed or reproduced without ceasing in 

 some part of Europe where its germs have not been completely 

 stamped out. Otherwise, it appears to be limited in its attacks to 

 a single species of animal. But the most striking resemblance 

 is that which exists between the means unsuccessfullv employed 

 at every period, and which we have recourse to now. In 171 1 

 and 1 71 2, bleedings, all the alexipharmics, cordials, febrifuges, 

 sudorifics, and the mercurial and antimonial preparations, were 

 used without benefit; in 1745, ^46, and ^48, nearly every known 

 method was brought into operation, but in vain. The physicians 

 have frankly avowed that all the cures were due more to nature 

 than to art, and the greatest doctors make the same confession 

 now-a-days. We have seen the most celebrated physicians con- 

 demn, one after another, nearly all the internal remedies employed. 



In 1712, Lancisi and Gazola, a physician at Verona, 



seeing the inutility of remedies, advised the slaughter of all the 

 diseased beasts; this counsel was followed in England in 17 14; 

 in 1771, all the diseased were killed in Austrian Flanders; in 

 1773, M. Dufot gave the same advice ; in 1 774, the Veterinary 

 College f)f Paris, M. Bourgelat, Vicq-d'Azyr, and others only 

 repeated it, and an order tf) that eflcct is given and executed in 

 1775.' Speaking of inoculation, he says, ' N'iecj-d'Azyr made 



